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Mayo Clinic or University of Iowa? Deciding on Mayo & local care

Posted by whudup1 @whudup1, Jan 6, 2023

Mayo is 4.5 hours away, UIA is 1 hour from my house
Contemplating where to do Robotic surgery,
Pros and cons
Was wanting to go to Mayo to speak with Drs,
But don’t want to lose local Dr. If I chose to stay close to home.
Decisions-Decisions?

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keismom2 | @keismom2 | Dec 2, 2023
In reply to @keismom2 "We are from Des Moines and I do not think there is any comparison between the..." + (show)
@keismom2

We are from Des Moines and I do not think there is any comparison between the U of I and Mayo Rochester. My husband had his removal with Dr. Tollefson at Mayo Rochester in October of 2022. Everything was fantastic. It is world class.

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Totally agree! We also had removal with Tollefson!

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lisab2 | @lisab2 | Dec 2, 2023

We live in Des Moines and after diagnosis (Gleason 9; with spread to lymph and bones) looked at both Mayo and U of I Hospitals for treatment. First contact with Mayo resulted in an appointment scheduled the following week. U of I said a scheduler would call us back within 2 weeks, then schedule and likely be seen about 3 weeks after that. We did not feel we could wait 5 weeks to be seen/start treatment. We weighed this, along with the fact that we are retired and have time to make the trips to Rochester, and can prioritize the expense of travel/lodging--so Mayo was the right decision for us. That initial experience of quick responsiveness continues to play out: Mayo team is top notch; moves quickly to meet patient needs; collaborates across disciplines (oncology, radiology, urology, palliative care). Wishing you the best as you weigh your own needs and find the care best for your situation.

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jwoy | @jwoy | Dec 3, 2023
In reply to @ozback11 "Good evening. I was hoping to gain some additional perspective on Dr Tollefson. I have surgery..." + (show)
@ozback11

Good evening. I was hoping to gain some additional perspective on Dr Tollefson. I have surgery scheduled with him this month. Any information would be wonderful. Thank you

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My husband had Dr Tollefson for his prostatectomy this past June. Wonderful experience. We are from Phoenix, and chose Mayo Rochester over Mayo AZ. We are so glad we did. Dr. Tollefson gave a very optimistic outlook even though the PET scan alarmed us. He is so skilled, thorough and conducted the surgery with amazing results. All nerves spared and clear margins. Is continent for which he is grateful. Hubby is 68 y/o and in good health overall.

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1 reply
hammer101 | @hammer101 | Dec 3, 2023
In reply to @keismom2 "My husband is a Gleason 9, with spread to 1lymph node. We had a phone conversation..." + (show)
@keismom2

My husband is a Gleason 9, with spread to 1lymph node. We had a phone conversation with U of I and Rochester. The U of I was basically doom and gloom. We will need to take the nerve bundles on one side, we will need to do radiation and ADT right away.

Mayo was we have got this! He had removal early October and has been continent since the catheter was removed. His nerves were spared. His 3month PSA was undetectable. We know it will most likely come back but this has been a gift.

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Great decision to go with Mayo. What a fantastic center of excellence for prostate cancer. University of Iowa is a good hospital, but not even in the ballpark with Mayo-Rochester when it comes to prostate cancer.

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ozback11 | @ozback11 | Dec 3, 2023
In reply to @jwoy "My husband had Dr Tollefson for his prostatectomy this past June. Wonderful experience. We are from..." + (show)
@jwoy

My husband had Dr Tollefson for his prostatectomy this past June. Wonderful experience. We are from Phoenix, and chose Mayo Rochester over Mayo AZ. We are so glad we did. Dr. Tollefson gave a very optimistic outlook even though the PET scan alarmed us. He is so skilled, thorough and conducted the surgery with amazing results. All nerves spared and clear margins. Is continent for which he is grateful. Hubby is 68 y/o and in good health overall.

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Thank you so very much for replying to my note. I’m so happy your husband had a great experience. First and foremost, I say that not for my own prospects, but I’m so happy things went well for you guys. Gods bless and thank you again for your words. They mean a lot to me.

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